YAMAGATA

位處東北的日本海一帶，櫻桃等作物栽培興盛，是廣為人知的水果王國。有日本三大急流之一的最上川，及座鎮於縣界的藏王連峰等秀美壯闊的自然景觀則令人著迷。位處東北的日本海一帶，櫻桃等作物栽培興盛，是廣為人知的水果王國。有日本三大急流之一的最上川，及座鎮於縣界的藏王連峰等秀美壯闊的自然景觀則令人著迷。Located on the Japan Sea side of Tohoku, Yamagata Prefecture is know for its production of fruits such as cherries. It’s also home to magnificent nature such as the Mogami River, one of Japan's three fastest-flowing rivers, as well as the Zao Mountain Range located near the prefectural border.

1. 山形花笠祭 Yamagata Hanagasa Festival

This summer festival held every August 5-7 is celebrated by over 1 million people. The sight of 10,000 people dancing along in flower-adorned hats and brightly colored costumes is like an undulating wave of flowers.

2. 新庄祭 Shinjo Festival

Registered as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2016, this traditional festival is held every August 24-26. The festival bathes the town in color with its impressive processions of floats and traditional portable shrines.

3. 獨鈷沼 Dokko-numa Pond

This sparkling emerald green lake is 1,264m above sea level. It is a popular spot on the Zao Chuo Plateau where many people come to cool off in the summer. With a pleasant breeze blowing through a Japanese beech forest, this place is like another world.

4. 玉簾瀑布 Tamasudare Falls

Plunging straight down from a height of 63 meters, this waterfall is very impressive! It was once known as a sacred mountain training site for religious devotees, and Buddhist worshippers still come here to pay their respects. The waterfall surrounded by big Japanese cedars is a mystical sight.

5. 片貝沼 Katakai-numa Lake

Located on the Zao Chuo Plateau, the deep green of Katakainuma Lake seems to be synchronized with the trees around it. In summer the surrounding area blooms with mountain plants like rhododendrons and keyflowers, and is as beautiful as a painting.

6. 丸池樣 Maruike-sama Pond

位於鳥海山山麓，直徑約20公尺，深約5公尺的湧水池，從古代開始就以信仰的「丸池樣」被眾人所守護著。充滿著湧泉的藍色水池，閃耀著透明的光影。

This spring-fed pond at the foot of Mt. Chokai is around 20m in diameter and 5m deep. The pond has long been an object of religious devotion and is respectfully referred to with the honorific suffix “sama.” Filled only with spring water, the sparkling pond is a transparent blue color.